Writing

[ian_house]

I've been putting together a few ideas for comics as of late and by far the most difficult part, for me, is coming up with a hero(es). It just seems that everything has been done before. I've got a lovely concept for introducing a characer and ideas for how the origin can unfold, I even have a kick *SQUEE* villain to throw him up against first... but what I want the hero to be is just too difficult. I obviously want him to be original but then as soon as I think of powers then it just seems contrived in the context.

Should I start again, putting the concept I have on the backburner, and start with a hero?

OR

Try harder to make my hero original in other ways apart from his hero powers/identity?

[tmcneil82]

Just keep at it. Even if he has the same powers as someone else, I'm sure you can show him dealing with it differently.
Its not like the superhero universe isnt chock full of unoriginal ideas.

Just look at Invincible. How many hero's did that copy off of? And look how good it is!

[ian_house]

Just keep at it. Even if he has the same powers as someone else, I'm sure you can show him dealing with it differently.
Its not like the superhero universe isnt chock full of unoriginal ideas.

Just look at Invincible. How many hero's did that copy off of? And look how good it is!

True! But I don't think I'm Kirkman

[tmcneil82]

Think Kirkman thought he could write well at the beginning? Remember, we are all our own worst critics. Just write what you like, theres always room for editing.

[dave]

I say go for it...even the stuff that we think of as original isn't very original.

Way back when King Solomon said there wasn't anything new under the sun-he felt your pain!

[xodacia81]

Simplicity. Focus on who the character is as a character and allow everything else to come from that. Find the "person" this character is, and then tell your story, along with detailing any powers, from that starting point.

[steverino]

it's pretty easy to create a character. Especially a hero.

Ask yourself these questions about your character:

1) Why is your character a hero at all?

2) Who is your character? A socialite, a geek, a soldier, etc...

3) What would your character do in a crisis? Would he throw punches, shoot something, try to outsmart the problem...

I've created so many characters, a few you will get to see in the near future, but the stories pretty much created the characters for me. I simply either evolved the character to fit the story or vice versa.

I wrote a story much like Thunderbolts was, a group of villains pretending to be heroes, but instead of making the real hero like Spider-man or something, I made him a common thief with extraordinary technical skills and cunning.

The other characters came easy. I needed an Evil Superman, Wonder Woman, etc...

Nothing original, but still, an original story.

You could, or course, make the villain the main character.

[Phantom..]

ian-house.
Brilliant that you are writing. I have seen many creative brainstorm sessions with writers.
I never contibute, but its was great to watch and listen.

Now to current time, supporting charactors in a book are more valuable to the story than people think.

Not everything have to be perfect first itme aswell. Things develop over time.

[UnknownTales]

Writing is re-writing.

One of the best ways to re-write is with writing groups. With the internest, its easy. Get a bunch of friends and bounce emails back and forth. Also, I would recommend completing a character study sheet. Email me and I'll send you one.

Keep at it.

I've been putting together a few ideas for comics as of late and by far the most difficult part, for me, is coming up with a hero(es). It just seems that everything has been done before. I've got a lovely concept for introducing a characer and ideas for how the origin can unfold, I even have a kick *SQUEE* villain to throw him up against first... but what I want the hero to be is just too difficult. I obviously want him to be original but then as soon as I think of powers then it just seems contrived in the context.

Should I start again, putting the concept I have on the backburner, and start with a hero?

OR

Try harder to make my hero original in other ways apart from his hero powers/identity?